ipl-logo

The Pros And Cons Of Assisted Suicide

1099 Words5 Pages

One who is not terminally ill does not know the pain and suffering of being terminally ill. Some described the pain as unbearable and intolerable. Why should someone be destined to live in this much pain? In some states and countries where this action is legal, they do not have to. They are given the option of assisted suicide. On the contrary, some believe this option is inhumane and unethical. This is still a constant controversy going on in America and around the world. No one should be compelled endure the pain of their illness if there is no cure, which is why assisted suicide should be legal with the patient's request. Assisted Suicide, also known as mercy killing, right-to-die, or euthanasia, is the act of ending one's life by …show more content…

As with anything, there is constantly debate about the criteria. For any patient receiving euthanasia, they must be able to answer abounding questions while completing some task to fit the criteria. If one has ever seen a terminally ill patient, several are not able to accomplish things considering their illness is controlling their life. For example, the patient must be fully aware of the decision he or she is making. A written request is required two times that are each fifteen days apart. Along with the written request, a verbal request has to be made with two witnesses. The doctor must have diagnosed them with a terminal illness. A terminal illness can be defined as a patient with six months or less to live. For the reason that the patient is deciding to end their life, which is a very serious action, they must be able to take the medication on their own. The doctor is allowed to hand the dose of euthanasia to the patient, but the patient must physically intake it on their own (Berkeley Wellness 1). This is where the controversy comes in. What about the patients who are so ill that they cannot even take the medication on their own? Someone who is so sick that is not able to physically take the medication should not be denied of this option. However, it is against the guidelines, which are followed very …show more content…

Doctors are trained to save lives, not end a life. During the process to become a doctor, they all must take an oath. According to the Los Angeles Times, the oath states, “I will give no deadly medicine to anyone if asked, nor suggest any such counsel.” Yet, the act of mercy killing is the total opposite of the pledge they take. In behalf of how euthanasia opposes this oath, it is famously called the “hippocratic oath”(1). On the other hand, doctors have seen and know the pain that all of their terminally ill patients can be in. Most doctors have treated and tried every medication to help fix their patient, who has now turned into a friend because of the countless hours they have spent together in the hospital looking for a cure. As anyone can relate to, doctors absolutely hate seeing their own patient in pain, thinking that it is their fault they could not find a cure. Yes, there are medicines to take away the pain, but the patient’s quality of life is so decumbent that the doctors see the positives in assisted suicide. Depending on the different doctors, the opinions and views of the act will differ, causing a tremendous amount of variation in the medical

Show More
Related
106 Words | 1 Pages

The right to assisted suicide is a heavily controversial and debated over topic that concerns people all around the United States. The arguments go back and forth about whether a dying patient has the right to end their life with the assistance of a doctor or physician. Some people are against it because of moral and religious reasons. Others are for it because of their compassions and respect for unhappy patients waiting to die naturally. Assisted suicide is prohibited by common law or criminal statute in all 50 U.S. states; medical aid in dying is specifically authorized in 5 states: Oregon, Washington, Vermont, Montana, and California.

Read More
1304 Words | 6 Pages

Although the phrase is not in the actual Hippocratic Oath, one of the most fundamental principles of the medical community is “do no harm”. One could use this principle to support the eradication of Physician Assisted Suicide, but what happens when by trying to do no harm, we actually cause more harm? Physician Assisted Suicide is defined by Merriam-Webster as “suicide by a patient facilitated by means (such as drug prescription) or by information (such as an indication of lethal dosage) provided by a physician aware of the patient’s intent” (Webster). Although often cited as “legalized murder”, it is important to note that Physician Assisted Suicide is requested by the patient, and also does have rules and regulations in their respective

Read More
1647 Words | 7 Pages

The history of physician assisted suicide is a long one filled with many details, history, and much debate. Being that the topic of a physician being able to euthanize a patient has been around since the first practices started. To illustrate this, it says in the Ancient Hippocratic Oath, which states the conduct and obligations of doctors, holds

Read More
509 Words | 3 Pages

Doctors control the means, drugs that end life painlessly” (Jaret). Doctors hold the key, to end patients suffering it should be legal for doctors to help patients and patients should also have the right to make a decision that has to do with ending their life. According to Issues and Controversies “The right of a competent, terminally ill person to avoid excruciating pain and embrace a timely and dignified death bears the sanction of history and is implicit in the concept of ordered liberty” (“Right to Die”). Patients have the right as citizens to have a say in the way they want to have a death on their own terms. Nobody should be withholding the right to die from a patient who is mentally competent and terminally ill (“Right to

Read More
1554 Words | 7 Pages

they state that its against oath for doctors to participate in active euthanasia. most of those who agree with this argument don't know that for example, in Canada only a “few medical schools use the Hippocratic Oath” because it is inconsistent with its premises (Barnard 28). The oath makes the doctor promise relieve any pain felt and make sure to not give deadly medicine. The oath isn't applied to cancer patients. cancer patients use chemo therapy, a radio active medication that is harmful to the body.

Read More
1900 Words | 8 Pages

As Dr. Leon Kass stated in his testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives: The legalization of physician-assisted suicide will pervert the medical profession by transforming the healer of human beings into a technical dispenser of death. For over two millennia the medical ethic, mindful that power to cure, has held an inviolable rule, “Doctors must not kill” (Anderson). Dr. Paul McHugh agrees and believes that the inviolable rule is essential to the practice of medicine and as a result, he states: Since ancient Greek physicians have been tempted to help desperate patients kill themselves, and many of those Greek doctors must have done so. But even then the best rejected such actions as unworthy and, as the Hippocratic Oath insists, contrary to the physician’s purpose of “benefiting the sick”

Read More
1069 Words | 5 Pages

Whenever U.S politics considered the question of euthanasia, they consistently stated that it is inadmissible, and legalizing it in our society is inhumane and damaging. In the state of Oregon law on medical suicide (Death with Dignity Act) was adopted in 1994, but only came into effect in November 1997, after fierce litigation over its cancellation. Opponents of the adoption of this law state that it will begin mass pilgrimage of terminally ill people in the world, so far the only place where euthanasia procedure can be carried out in compliance with all legal formalities. Lately in our country there has been talk about suicide when physician assisted. Although some doctors say that medical mediated suicide is a totally different thing, in reality, it's all the same euthanasia, with a difference in process.

Read More
702 Words | 3 Pages

Jack Kevorkian once stated, ‘Dying is not a crime.’ Most individuals believe the option of physician assisted suicide is unethical but consciously choose to forget that the decision does have positive outcomes. The Hippocratic Oath has become a limb to critics who find the need to justify themselves. Human life entails death! This means as humans we should express the element of death and not look down on people who choose to die because ‘without death- human life does not exit by explanation.’

Read More
462 Words | 2 Pages

Physician – assisted suicide There are many issues surrounding what ways health care providers can help terminally ill patients. These issues have been argued for many years and are continuing to be argued. Physician – assisted suicide is something that is frowned upon amongst the country. Many people feel that it is wrong for a patient to ask a physician to end their life regardless of their medical situation.

Read More
602 Words | 3 Pages

Patients also must be mentally competent about what they are doing. " Two doctors must confirm the diagnosis and determine that patients are capable of making their own health decisions" ( 'Death with Dignity ' Laws Offer Compassionate Option). Death with dignity should be legal in every state. It is merciful and should be the choice of no one other than the patient.

Read More
625 Words | 3 Pages

There are conditions that must be met before the lethal drugs are given. If someone requests to be euthanatised they must be over 18 years old and capably of making decisions. Their life expectancy must be less than 6 month and they must have an incurable illness. However I feel that there are aspects that will leave the

Read More
1110 Words | 5 Pages

Lastly, In California the patient must submit two oral requests, a minimum of 15 days apart, and a written request to his or her attending physician (“Physician-Assisted Suicide Fast Facts”). The physician will directly receive all three requests required for the

Read More
1700 Words | 7 Pages

Although family, doctors, relatives, and the government may have a say in whether or not assisted suicide should be legal, the patient themselves is the one who is dealing with the decision to end their own life or not. Assisted suicide should be allowed for the terminally ill in order to preserve their dignity. The book Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide, and the Philosophical Anthropology of Karol Wojtyla by AK Fernandes states, “If a person chooses, they ought to be allowed to have assisted suicide or euthanasia. Such a free choice will preserve dignity by allowing a person to maintain control over the timing and manner of their death.” Loss of dignity is closely associated with certain types of distress often seen among the terminally ill.

Read More
1190 Words | 5 Pages

In 2015 nearly 68% of Americans said doctor assisted suicide should be legal for terminally ill patients (Gallup). There are plenty of people who have a terminal illness, who have been told they will not be able to live for more than two years, that have lived up to five or even six years. Do terminally ill patients want to die faster? Do the terminally ill patients know what that will do to their families and friends? There was an elderly man who was on oxygen and he knew right where he wanted to die, in his bed at his own home.

Read More
1958 Words | 8 Pages

In the new Hippocratic Oath it states “I will allow patients to make the ultimate decision about their own care. In circumstances where my patients are incapable of making decisions, I will accept the decision of the family members or loved ones, encouraging them to decide as they believe the patients would have decided.” Supporters argue that the changes made to the Hippocratic Oath that prohibited euthanasia no longer reflects ancient practices or beliefs, therefore, upon request, a physician should, technically speaking, be able to provide a lethal drug for a suffering patient. In some sense, physicians who provide assistance in hastening death comply with the understanding of medical ethics to care for and meet

Read More

More about The Pros And Cons Of Assisted Suicide

Related Topics

Open Document